Category: International

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump unveiled plans Tuesday to sell new “gold card” residency permits for a price of $5 million each — and said Russian oligarchs may be eligible. Trump said sales of the new visa, a high-price version of the traditional green card, would bring in job creators and could be used to reduce the US national deficit. “We’re going to be selling a gold card. You have a green card, this is a gold card. We’re going to be putting a price on that card of about…

US President Donald Trump stated on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to the idea of European peacekeepers being deployed in Ukraine as part of a ceasefire agreement, Reuters reported. French President Emmanuel Macron also confirmed that Europe is prepared to support such a plan. The announcement followed a video conference with G7 leaders marking the third anniversary of the war. Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, said he directly asked Putin about the proposal. “Yeah, he will accept that. He has no problem with it,” Trump said. Macron, the…

WASHINGTON: Newly released data from the US Department of Homeland Security reveals that President Donald Trump deported 37,660 individuals in his first month in office, a figure significantly lower than the monthly average of 57,000 removals and returns recorded during the final full year of Joe Biden’s administration. A senior Trump administration official and experts said deportations were poised to rise in coming months as Trump opens up new avenues to ramp up arrests and removals. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said Biden-era deportation numbers appeared “artificially high” because of higher…

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order which directs the Justice Department to pause prosecutions of Americans accused of bribing foreign government officials while trying to win or retain business in their countries. The order pauses enforcement of the nearly half-century-old Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review current and past actions related to the law and prepare new guidelines for enforcement. The law, enacted in 1977, prohibits companies that operate in the United States from bribing foreign officials. Over time,…

WASHINGTON: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Tesla CEO Elon Musk in Washington on Thursday, where they discussed space, technology, and mobility, including Starlink’s planned entry into India and broader cooperation in emerging innovations and governance. “Their discussion also touched on opportunities to deepen cooperation in emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, and good governance,” India’s foreign ministry said separately in a statement. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Modi was scheduled to meet Musk, CEO and founder of SpaceX, during his trip this week to the United States, with Starlink’s entry into the South Asian…

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet with the United States President Donald Trump on Thursday at the White House, aiming to strengthen their previously warm relationship while addressing contentious issues like tariffs and immigration. The two leaders are expected to hold a joint press conference, a rare event for Modi, who is known for his extensive use of social media but typically avoids engaging with the press. Ahead of his visit, Modi has made significant tariff concessions, including a reduction in duties on high-end motorcycles, which is…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview published on Tuesday, said that Ukraine is prepared to offer territory exchange with Russia, emphasised that Europe would not be able to bear the full weight of Ukraine’s defense efforts alone, AFP reported. Zelensky said that Ukraine would propose a territorial swap in any potential peace talks with Russia. Zelensky is set to meet with US Vice President JD Vance on Friday at the Munich Security Conference, where discussions are expected to focus on the ongoing war. Vance, who has often criticised US involvement,…

UK immigration enforcement teams made 609 arrests in January, marking a 73% increase from the same period in 2024, AFP reported. This effort is part of the Labour government’s plan to address undocumented migration and combat people-smuggling rings. The arrests were conducted at over 800 locations, including restaurants, nail salons, car washes, and convenience stores. This surge comes after Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer reversed his predecessor Rishi Sunak’s controversial plan to deport migrants to Rwanda, opting instead to dismantle criminal gangs involved in illegal migration. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasised that…

French President Emmanuel Macron trumpeted the benefits of artificial intelligence Sunday, ahead of a two-day Paris summit on the technology and its potential benefits and pitfalls. Co-hosted with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the summit has a slew of stated aims including “mapping” AI governance around the world, promoting the idea of more ethical, accessible and frugal AI and pushing for European sovereignty over the technology. But announcements ahead of the gathering could have been confused with Macron’s annual “Choose France” investor conference, with tens of billions pledged for investment…